Reply by BinghamtonEd

Teejk, I’m with you on the push pad. I use a long push pad (maybe 12-16”) with handles on either end. That allows me to put pressure where it needs to be, without having my hands anywhere near the cut.

If you can remove the arbor it would make repair pretty easy (could still do it in place, but might be difficult to get to). Like others have said, fill the recess with JB weld, and file it smooth. You say that it looks like each chipper blade is a different height, from the pictures it looks like your only problem area is that first chipper, the one that would end up sitting on that slight recess in your arbor, giving it some play. The rest of the dado looks fine to me.

-- - The mightiest oak in the forest is just a little nut that held its ground.